Doorlatch



Sept. 26, 1933. B. P. NUNN 1,927,948

' DOORLATCH Filed Aug. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flttorney B. P. NUNN Sept. 26, 1933.

DOORLATCH Filed Aug. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES: rarsNrfosFics Application August 10, 1932 7 Serial Np. 628,230 2 Claims. (Cl. 292188) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in door latches particularly for various types or kinds of swinging doors and has for some of its objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a door latch of the aforementioned character embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium of which said latch may be used as a look when desired for positively preventing the opening of the door or doors by unauthorized persons.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts through the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the device, showing the angular bolt in section.

Figure 2 is a View in front elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation.

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 4'4 of Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail views of the latch plate mountings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a metallic handle 1 which is mounted on the outer side of a door 2, said handle including oppositely extending arms on its ends which abut the door, said arms being indicated at 3. The arms 3 are apertured to accommodate securing bolts 4 and 5.

Mounted on the outer ends of the bolts 4 and 5 are flanged guides 6 upon which an elongated latch plate '7 is mounted for vertical reciprocation. Retaining nuts 8 are threaded on the bolts 4 and 5 for securing the guides 6 tightly in position against the door 2, said guides having teeth 9 on their inner sides which bite into the door to positively prevent rotation of the guides. The latch plate 7 is provided with vertical slots 10 in its upper and lower end portions which ccommodate the guides 6. The shape of the slots 10 and the guides 6 is such that, when assembling the latch, said guides are disposed parallel with the slots and insertedin to said slots after which the guides are turned one quarter of a revolution to a position transverse with respectto the slots,-v as clearly indicated in Figure .3 of the drawings. 7

In its upper portion, the latchplate '7 is further provided with a-vertical slot 11 in which a thumb lever 12 is operable. The lever 12 is 'ful crumed in a vertical slot 13 which is provided therefor in the upper arm 3 of the handle 1. At its fulcrum point, the lever 12 ,isprovided with, a notch or recess 14 in which the lower end wall of the slot 13 is engaged. In assembling the latch, the lever 12 is inserted in the slot 13, after which the bolt 4 is inserted through the upper arm 3 and secured. Thus, the head of the bolt 4 is disposed immediately above the lever 12 for preventing said lever from being raised sufficiently for the notch 14 to clear the lower end of the slot 13. 7

The lower arm 3 has formed therein an opening 1.5 which is aligned with an opening 16 extending through the door 2. Then, the lower portion of the latch plate 7 also has formed therein an opening 17 which is aligned with the openings 15 and 16. The openings 15, 16 and 17 are for the reception of the substantially rightangularly extending end portion of a bolt 18 which is rigidly secured, as at 19, on theadjacent door or door frame 20. The free end of the bolt 18 has formed thereon an eye 21 for connection with a padlock 22. Adjacent the angle of the bolt 18, on the upper and lower sides of said bolt, are shoulders 23, the uppermost only of which is engageable with the latch plate 7 when said latch plate is in lowered position for preventing withdrawal of. said bolt 18 from the latch plate. Extending from the shoulders 23 of the bolt 18 are inclined portions 24 up which thelatch plate 7 rides when said bolt 18 is entering the openings 15, 16 and 17. The latch plate '7 rides up the uppermost inclination 24 as the bolt 18 enters the openings and drops over the uppermost shoulder 23. By providing shoulders 23 and inclinations 24 on the upper and lower sides of the bolt 18, said bolt may be reversed for use, thereby providing a latch capable of being used on either left or right hand swinging doors.

In operation, when it is desired to positively lock the door or doors the padlock 22 is engaged in the eye 21 of the bolt 18, thus preventing withdrawal of said bolt. However, when it is desired that the device function only as a latch, the padlock 22 is removed. Then, when it is desired to open the door, the latch plate 7 is raised through the medium of the lever 12 so that the upper end of the slot 17 will be above the uppermost shoulder 23 of the bolt 18, after which said bolt will be withdrawn as the door 2 is swung away from the same. When the door is again closed the latch plate 7 rides up the uppermost inclination 24 of the bolt 18 and, as previously stated, drops over the uppermost shoulder 23 for again latching the door 2. The door 2, of course, is also provided with an opening 25 in which the lever 12 is operable.

It is believed that the many advantages of a door latch and lock constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferrediembodimentof the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to'be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and are rangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a door latch, a handle having apertured end portions for attachment to a door at one side of the latter, securing bolts extending through the apertures in the end portions of the handle and also through holes provided in the door, grooved guide elements on the ends of the bolts at the side of the door opposite to the handle,'nuts threaded on the said ends of the bolts in bearing engagement with the guide elements, a slidable latch plate having slotted ends engaging the grooves in the guide elements whereby said plate is constrained to'shift in a plane parallel to the door, said latch plate and one end portion of said handle having slots therein, and an operating lever for the latch plate having an intermediate portion operating in an opening in the door, and also having opposite handle equipped end portions respectively operating in the aforementioned slots in said latch plate and said one end portion of the handle for manipulation of the latch plate from either side of the door, the said operating lever adjacent one of the handle equipped ends thereof having a notch in one edge engaging the said one end portion of the handle at one end of the aforementioned slots therein to provide a fulcrum for said lever;

2. In a door latch, an organization composed of the following instrumentalities; viz: a handle, a latch plate having slotted ends, bolts extending through openings in opposite ends of the handle and through the slotted ends of the latch plate, apertured guide elements on the boltsand engaging the slotted ends of the latch plate, flanges on the respective guide elements at opposite sides of the-latch plate, and nuts on the ends of the bolts, all mounted on the door substantially as described.

BARNEY PRESTON NUNN. 

